Destined To Meet
by SeaEmerald
Summary: When Stella has a ruthless stalker on her tail, she's assigned a bodyguard. But when she slowly starts to fall for him...
1. The Attack: Part 1

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB (** ** _God...why?!)_**

 **MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

 **So this is my third story for Winx Club. I wrote it like a few years ago in my head and on an interactive app, but not so blatantly on a site.** ** _So pleaseeee tell me what you think :)_**

 ** _I wanted to write something new for Christmas, so...if you want more, just leave a review :)!_**

 ** _Once again:_** **Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (Yeah I'm really feeling the festive spirit over here :D)**

 **NOTE:** **May/will be OOC on plenty/some occasions. If you prefer perfect characterizations from the show itself, I'm really sorry...but you may not enjoy this one. :(**

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles, California - 7:30 AM ~**

"STELLA!" A scream rang out throughout the villa.

"...what...?" A blonde sleepily mumbled as she buried herself into the warm covers of her haven.

"Uh...you do realize that it's like seven thirty, right? It's the first day of school, so wake up!" a red-haired woman pulled off the covers from her best friend's friend earning her a displeased grunt.

"Five more minutes, Bloom...," Stella mumbled.

"Stella, wake up! It's seven thirty!" Bloom yelled loudly as she shook her friend.

Stella's honey eyes snapped wide awake at the news. "SEVEN THIRTY?! Classes start at eight!"

"BLOOM, WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP EARLIER?!" the blonde screeched as she instantly leaped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom.

"I would have, but it's not my fault you threw the alarm clock out the window," Bloom shook her head with amusement as she watched her long time friend acting crazy. She chuckled and left the room when the bathroom door slammed shut with a loud bang.

Stella quickly did her daily business and showered. _Ugh, I really need to control my sleeping habits!_ She cursed herself as she stepped out of the bathroom twenty minutes later with a towel wrapped around her. She ran to her wardrobe and picked the first thing on sight. She cast the towel aside and dressed herself into black skinny jeans and a white full-sleeved top. She combed her hair into a high ponytail and left her bangs out in the open. She quickly slipped into black high heeled boots before grabbing her book bag and dashed outside.

 **~ University of California - 7:58 AM ~**

"Man, for someone who woke up like literally fifteen minutes ago, you sure do clean up nice," Bloom smiled as the two girls dashed left and right through the hallways desperate to make it to class before the bell.

"Whatever! Let's just hurry!," Stella panted as she munched on her breakfast bagel while running. "Darn it, we're so late!"

"Stel, we're not late until the bell rings-!"

Just then, a loud screech rang throughout the hallways ushering lingering students in the hallways to quickly scatter to their classes.

"You were saying?" Stella sarcastically asked. "Please, it's the first day. They're not gonna punish us for that," Bloom panted.

"Yeah, but this whole building is for seniors," Stella muttered. When they reached their assigned classroom, Stella heartbrokenly threw her bagel over her shoulder and into the trash can. The two girls opened the door and made their way in.

"May we come in..." the two girls started but instantly paled when they saw their teacher.

"Bloom and Stella! Now why am I not surprised? You're late and that too on your first day! Young ladies, you lack in discipline each year," their teacher scolded earning a few snickers from their classmates. She continued, "Since it's only the first day, I'll excuse you JUST THIS ONCE. Do not be late again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am..." the two spoke simultaneously.

"I can't hear you!" Griselda yelled in a Sponge Bob style.

"Yes, ma'am!" the girls shouted. Griselda nodded satisfactorily and ushered them to take their seats. With sighs of relief, Bloom and Stella went over to two leftover seats somewhere in the back.

"I can't believe we just got burned for being late by two seconds," Stella sourly muttered as she slumped into the seat. Bloom nodded glumly as she followed suit into a seat beside Stella. "Amen to that."

* * *

 **~ 12:00 PM ~**

Bloom and Stella sat at their usual table in the cafeteria. The place buzzed with students and it was hard to avoid punching into each other.

"Well, if it's not the big time dorks of the day," a raven-haired girl snickered as she neared the duo along with two other sidekicks.

"If it isn't the biggest _bitch_ of the year," Bloom muttered lowly but high enough to make the Stella laugh.

"What do you want, Mitzi?" the redhead boredly asked the new unwanted intrusions.

 _Mitzi McCall..._ The typical mean girl who fit into every college's stereotype of having a mean girl clique.

"I wanted to give advice to the biggest fashion failures I've ever met. Are those colors clashing or what?" Mitzi snickered with disgust. Her sidekicks, Chimera Smith and Diaspro Williams, nodded in agreement.

"Nothing's clashing here except for your unwanted presence, Mitzi. So why don't you do the world a favor and get a move on?" Stella snapped.

"...Whatever."

Stella crossed her arms a little angrily as Bloom looked at her with concern.

"Stel, you okay?" Bloom asked. Stella nodded with a tight smile. "Yeah, Mitzi just gets on my nerves. That's all."

"C'mon, I know something's bothering you. You've been a little on edge ever since Griselda's class. Is it because she dissed us? C'mon you know her. It's totally normal-"

Stella shook her head. "No, Bloom. That's not what's bothering me. It's just...it didn't strike me this morning because of the rush hour and all. But I could've sworn I put my orange dress on top of my clothes. I ironed it last night and hung it up right where I can find it this morning. But it was missing today."

"Seriously? You're worried over a freaking dress? You probably just overlooked it. That's all," Bloom dismissed with a small wave of her hand.

Stella shook her head. "It's not just this dress. Even a few shirts of mine were missing. _Even freaking socks!"_

"We decided it was the wonders of washing machines."

"I hope you're right. Even my um...other things were missing, you know? _Personal_ ones..." Stella whispered hoping Bloom would get the gist.

The redhead's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! You mean your under-!"

Stella clamped a hand against Bloom's mouth. "Why don't you yell it to the whole college while you're at it?!" the blonde hissed.

"...seriously?" Bloom whispered. Stella nodded frantically.

"Stel, what if you're being stalked?" Bloom asked in shock.

"What?! Noo! Don't be silly. You're telling me that someone can actually break into our house? Just like that?"

Bloom smirked, "Who knows? Maybe the guy is worshipping your footsteps now."

Stella rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.

"I don't know. Maybe you should report this. Or at least tell your parents. I mean, you never know what weirdos lurk around. It's better to be safe than sorry," Bloom said with a hint of seriousness in her voice.

Stella opened her mouth to retort when the bell suddenly rang.

"We are not done talking about this," Bloom said as they both stood up with their trays in tow.

* * *

 **~ 4:00 PM ~**

"I swear, Stella! We'll both be killed someday because of your driving!" Bloom yelled as she clutched her seat and tightened the seat belt in fear.

"Oh hush. My driving is just fine. The roads are just too curvy," Stella defended herself.

"You almost got us into an accident six times! I'm driving the next time!" Bloom yelled. "Sweet baby Jesus, please protect us," she chanted as she prayed making Stella roll her eyes.

* * *

 **~ 4:30 PM ~**

Bloom and Stella got out of the car and grabbed their bookbags before making their way into the house. "Oh snap, wait. Stel, I promised Roxy last week I'll tutor her for a few hours sometime this week. Is it okay if we take a raincheck on movie night?"

"Seriously? We live together. Go on. It's totally fine. I'll prepare dinner," Stella smiled.

With a light hug, Bloom waved as she took the keys from the blonde and hopped into the car. Stella took their bookbags and opened the front door.

* * *

 **~ Bloom's & Stella's House - Stella's Bedroom - 5:00 PM ~**

Stella stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. Stella opened her wardrobe and instantly dressed into a comfortable yellow nightgown. Humming a soft tune to herself, she turned around and ran her hand through her hair as she moved to leave the room. She only took a few steps before she stopped. She turned around again. She bit her lip as she neared the closet once more. _Maybe Bloom is right. Maybe I just overlooked or maybe I misplaced my dress somewhere._

"What am I doing? Of course I misplaced it," she muttered to herself. The mere thought of a stranger moving around the house without her knowledge (or permission) made her stomach coil. Bloom was crazy. That's all. It's just an in-the-heat-of-the-moment crazy dumb idea that Bloom had.

"I'm just gonna make sure anyway..." she whispered to herself as she opened the wooden polished doors yet again. _Please be there. Please._

Stella's heart clenched. It's not anywhere in visible sight. Biting her lip, she searched the racks slowly hoping her dress will magically show up from wherever. _Where the hell are you?!_ She thought as her search became frenzier by the second. She looked around her room and eyed each piece of furniture. Not an inch escaped her meticulous golden-brown eyes.

"Maybe I accidentally placed it in Bloom's closet," she tried to convince herself. It's not just this dress. A few of her shirts have gone randomly missing especially in the last few days. Bloom and her had originally dismissed her missing socks assuming they'll turn up later. Stella had even dissed her missing shirts issue thinking she might have just misplaced them somewhere. The two girls shared clothes, so it didn't bother her much.

Stella sprinted to Bloom's room. She instantly raced to the redhead's closet without delay. She searched the racks and didn't spare any nook or corner.

Lost in her own thoughts, Stella failed to notice the soft click of the bedroom door behind her.

"Where the hell did I put it?!" she shouted at herself as her fingers clutched a fistful of blonde hair.

Her moment was interrupted when she felt strong arms around her waist. Her back hit a hard chest. Stella's eyes opened wide. She was about to scream out of fear when a hand clasped around her mouth. Judging by the death grip and the frame, she _knew_ it was a man. She felt extremely self-conscious. She was only wearing a flimsy nightgown. Her heart thudded against her chest in fright and she let out a muffled scream.

She let out another scream when the man twirled her around. He chuckled maniacally, making Stella let out another muffled screech. He stopped as they both stood in front of Bloom's full-length mirror. Stella's heart beat erratically as she looked at the man behind her in the mirror before her. He was taller than her by at least a foot. He wore black from top to bottom and even his face was completely covered except for chilly eyes.

 _"I've been waiting a long, long time for you, Stella..."_ he whispered in her ear, sending a chilly shiver down her spine.

* * *

 **I'd really love to know what you guys think XO**

 **Once again, Belated Merry Christmas :D! And thank you for the reviews!**

 _ **HAPPY HOLIDAYSSS!**_


	2. The Attack: Part 2

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

 **~ 5:10 PM ~**

Bloom sang along to one of her favorite songs "Cheap Thrills" by Sia currently playing through the speakers.

 _Come on, come on...turn the radio on..._

 _It's Friday night and-_

Bloom turned off the radio when her phone blared loudly.

"Hello?" she answered with a smile clearly in a good mood.

"Hey, Bloom. It's me, Roxy. Do you think we can reschedule? My mom is home after a month so I just wanted to spend some time with her."

Bloom smiled into the phone. "Of course! Okay, just give me a call whenever you're free."

"Will do! Thanks, Bloom!"

The two hung up. Bloom quickly made a U-turn and headed back home.

In a few minutes, she found herself parking the car in the garage. She was about to lock the car when she heard a scream that sounded so near yet far away at the same time.

"Stella?!" Bloom gasped concerned. She was about to take a step when she stopped again. Bloom's eyes widened when she saw fading, but still visible to the naked eye, muddy footprints ahead of time.

 _Shit._ Bloom's jaw fell to the floor in horror. _Please let it be a false alarm!_ She prayed as she fumbled around her pockets and whipped out her cell phone.

* * *

 **~ 5:20 PM ~**

"Where the hell did I put it?!" she shouted at herself as her fingers clutched a fistful of blonde hair.

Her moment was interrupted when she felt strong arms around her waist. Her back hit a hard chest. Stella's eyes opened wide. She was about to scream out of fear when a hand clasped around her mouth. Judging by the death grip and the frame, she knew it was a man. She felt extremely self-conscious. She was only wearing a flimsy nightgown. Her heart thudded against her chest in fright and she let out a muffled scream.

She let out another scream when the man twirled her around. He chuckled maniacally, making Stella let out another muffled screech. He stopped as they both stood in front of Bloom's full-length mirror. Stella's heart beat erratically as she looked at the man behind her in the mirror before her. He was taller than her by at least a foot. He wore black from top to bottom and even his face was completely covered except for chilly eyes.

"I've been waiting a long, long time for you, Stella..." he whispered in her ear, sending a chilly shiver down her spine.

Stella's heart thudded violently in her chest. She didn't know how to react. Her body is practically immobile at the moment. The intruder's appearance scared her enough to give her daymares. She tried to scream again, hoping someone will hear her. The hand came off instantly from her mouth. Just as Stella opened her mouth, she felt a cold tip against her neck. From the mirror, she could see a knife glistening.

"Scream again and I'll make you regret it so badly," he smirked against her cheek. Stella's eyes flooded with tears when she felt a cold hand glide down her sides, touching her as much as possible.

"Oh, don't cry, Stella. This won't hurt at all, baby. In a few minutes, you'll be begging me to make you a woman," he smirked as he spoke against her neck, sending chilled shivers down her spine. Stella's eyes grew wide. Oh God...she's going to be raped. In the worst way possible. Terrified and unable to move and defend herself...

Stella whimpered when a hand touched the end of her nightgown. No. She refused to get raped. If she's going to die anyway, she'd rather be slit to death. "No! Let me go!" she yelled as she elbowed him. The man, who clearly didn't expect any kind of retaliation from her, stumbled back a few steps. Stella used the opportunity to make a run for the door. She didn't bother trying to attack him. He's just too strong and any kind of defense would be foolish from her part. Stella reached for the door and was about to open it when a body collided against hers painfully. Stella let out a yelp when he grabbed her and threw her in the middle of the room.

She felt to the floor, with her head colliding directly against the floor. Thank God it was carpetted or she'd be brewing blood out by now. Even then, it was painful. She clutched her head and moaned out of pain. Her vision blurred as she struggled to get up.

"I told you I'd make you regret it, baby," his eyes danced in a way that made her sick to the stomach. Even with his face covered, she could see him smirking from behind the ashen mask. She looked at him frightened and tried her best to crawl back. But he quickly grabbed her and dragged her to him again.

"No! Let me go!" Stella yelled as she thrashed in his hold.

"Fine. You asked for it," he said coolly as he continued smirking. He reached into his pocket and took out a...syringe. Stella's blood ran cold and she turned deadly pale when she realized what it's for.

"No!" she screamed as she struggled to move away. If that syringe gets into her, then she can't do anything. She figured that much out and she wasn't going to wait around to test her theory.

"Go ahead, baby. Scream all you want. No one can save you now," he smiled sickly at her as he bent and hovered above her. Stella let out a moan of pain when she felt a sharp sting in her arm. She realized in horror as her senses soon began to numb. She lost control of her motor functions. She tried to feel her fingers, hands, legs, anything! At this point, anything is useful. Even her brain started to succumb to the drug (whatever the hell it is).

She soon shifted off into unconsciousness. The last thing she heard before seeing complete black was a loud bang.

* * *

 **~ 5:25 PM ~**

"Miss, please calm down. Tell us your address."

Bloom frantically yelled out her address, "PLEASE COME SOON! My friend is in trouble!"

"We have an officer there patrolling nearby. We'll patch him through right away. Meanwhile, DO NOT step foot inside the house. Get as far away as you can."

Bloom cut the call. "As if!"

She ran to the front door and opened it with her spare key. She heard a loud thud from upstairs. "Let me go! No!"

Bloom raced upstairs the second she heard that. Her best friend in the whole wide world needed help and she wasn't going to sit aside just because the police told her so. She reached the door to her room and stopped when she heard a dark, threatening voice from inside.

"Go ahead, baby. Scream all you want. No one can save you now."

Bloom's blood ran cold. So she had been right earlier today. Someone had been trailing her best friend. Without a second delay, she kicked the door loudly. To her surprise, she found that it wasn't locked. Whoever was inside sure was confident of themselves.

Bloom kicked the door open to reveal a tall man clearly glaring at her. Or at least, that's what she thought from the piercing eyes visible behind a black mask. Beside him, Stella's body limply lay there unconscious.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" he bellowed loudly.

Bloom gasped at his audacity. "What am _I_ doing here?! Dude, this is _MY_ effing house!"

He smirked. "Ahhh...yeah...Bloom, isn't it? Well, honey, you just deserved your shortcut to hell." Bloom stood frozen as he whipped out a shiny, black gun from one of his jacket folds in the blink of an eye. Her feet planted themselves into the floor as she stood them there agape.

The gun clocked as he pulled the trigger with a devilish smirk. Bloom's lips trembled. This was her first time seeing a gun in real time. And now she's about to die. She slowly closed her eyes when-

"GET DOWN!" a deep voice yelled out just as a gun shot went off. Bloom tightly shut her eyes as she felt herself falling to the floor. She blinked a few times when she felt neither the impact of a bullet nor a collision against the floor. Instead, she felt herself enveloped by two strong arms. Her heart beat violently against her chest. _Am I dead?_ she thought frantically. Rumor has it that the dead usually don't feel any pain. That they're in a better place.

She certainly didn't feel any pain. But she has yet to find out if she's in a better place. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that...she was in her home. How is that possible? A gunshot just went off.

"Miss, are you alright?" a deep, rich voice came from behind. Bloom looked at herself and saw that an arm held her by the waist. She slowly nodded as the new intruder's grip slackened. He let the redhead go and stood up. Bloom, too, recovering from the shock got up. Her vision adjusted to see a tall, muscular, brown-haired police officer scrutinizing the surroundings.

Stella's intruder...he escaped.

Bloom stood up and adjusted her footing before running over to her fallen friend.

"Stella!" Bloom cried, tears falling from her face. There was a clearly visible wound near the side of Stella's forehead, darkening each second. The officer checked the house once again before rushing back to Bloom's room again.

Meanwhile, the brunette took out his phone and dialled someone. "Hello? Yes, Chief Saladin. The information is legit...The victim is unconscious...What?...Yeah, we're on our way...Don't worry. I got it."

He cut the call and bent to speak to the redhead. "Miss, we have to take her to a hospital."

Bloom nodded tearfully as she gently rubbed the wound on Stella's forehead. _If only I had been here...this is all my fault._

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles City Hospital - 6:00 PM ~**

Bloom frantically walked back and forth while waiting anxiously for the doctor to come out. She couldn't find it in herself to sit down. She nearly got killed today. And she would've been walking to her grave right now if it weren't for the officer.

"Miss, are you alright?" a gentle voice spoke from beside her.

Bloom took a deep breath and stopped wearing a path into the floor. "No offense, but I'm worried about my friend right now."

The officer crossed his arms sternly at her. "You were specifically told by the dispatch not to go inside the house."

Bloom glared. "Excuse me? She is MY friend and practically my sister. I don't care if I get arrested but if she's in trouble, I'm ready to break the rules. And I know that she'd do the same for me."

"That's very admirable of you, but you endangered your life and could have compromised your friend's too."

Bloom slightly paled. "Um...will I be arrested now?"

He chuckled. "No, ma'am. You won't be."

The officer stepped away when his phone vibrated. "Hello? Saladin? Yes, this is Shields speaking. Yes, uh she has been brought here. She didn't appear to have any physical injuries, no...Yes, her friend was there...2nd floor, 6th ward."

He placed a hand into his pocket and typed away something into his phone. Bloom bit her lip and approached him again. "Um...officer? I uh...I'm sorry I was rude earlier. And also thank you so much for saving my life."

He smiled. "It's part of my job so need to say thank you. And don't worry about it. I can understand your point of view and how important she must be to you."

Bloom nodded gratefully.

"However, we need a brief account of what happened."

Bloom shrugged. "I can't exactly help you with that. I opened the door to my room and the shot went off." She sighed, "Stella has to wake up if you want anything."

He nodded. "Right. So what are your names?"

"I'm Bloom Sparks."

"And hers?"

"Stella. Stella Solaria."

"Okay. So we-"

"Who are the patient's relatives here?" a female doctor spoke out interrupting their conversation.

Bloom gasped and instantly turned around. "Me and her live together," she spoke frantically.

"And I'm an officer, doctor. Knowing about her is vital to my investigation."

The lady doctor nodded. "Alright. Well...the thing is-"

"Is she okay!? Is she alive?! Doctor-"

The officer placed a hand on Bloom's shoulder silencing her. "Let her speak," he murmured.

The doctor, recovering from the sudden startlement, adjusted her glasses before speaking again. "She's alive, yes. She is still recovering from the shock. Also, she's been injected a drug."

"Which one?" the police officer asked with narrowed eyes.

"DFSA," the doctor answered him glumly.

His eyes widened while Bloom looked clueless. She raised her hand. "Um...what is a DFSA?"

"It's a drug that when injected renders the victim vulnerable and paralyzed. It's more commonly known as the date rape drug."

Bloom's eyes widened to the point of popping out her sockets. "WHAT?! Is she okay?!"

The doctor nodded. "Yes, your friend is perfectly alright. It was a very subtle dose. She's awake, so you can go and see her."

Bloom nodded and thanked the lady as the latter nodded and left. She immediately rushed inside followed by the officer.

"Stella!" Bloom shouted in relief when she saw her friend waving from the bed. The redhead instantly rushed and hugged her tightly.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Stella yelped, slapping Bloom's arm and pushing her away repulsively. "I have pointy needles inside me, so watch it!"

"Sorry," Bloom smiled. "But honestly. I told you to tell someone!"

"I told you," the blonde smiled while sitting cross-legged.

"So...um how do you feel?" Bloom asked with a small sigh.

"Bloom...I know that look. It's not your fault. That's just ridiculous, okay?!"

"I should've been there for you...and I...left," Bloom said sadly.

Stella rolled her eyes, "I'm not even going to tell you how ridiculous this conversation is at the moment."

"Brandon Shields, another job well done," a deep voice interrupted the friends as a middle-aged man strolled inside. Stella looked at the officer, who had been respectfully silent till now.

Brandon sighed. "Not really. The perp got away, Saladin," he said addressing the older man.

"Yeah, but no one died," Saladin smiled. He was of an average height with a visible pot belly. He seemed to be in his late fifties or early sixties. He turned to the girl sitting quietly on the bed. "Ms. Solaria, how do you feel?"

Stella smiled. "It's just Stella. I'm better. Thank you, sir."

Saladin nodded. "Finish up here and I'll see you tomorrow."

Brandon nodded as Saladin left. The brunette turned to the two girls. "You heard him. We'll be taking your statements first thing in the morning."

"Oh thank goodness. I don't think I have it in me to blab anything at the moment," Stella moaned as she clutched her head.

"You said you feel fine," Bloom smirked.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Compared to an hour, I feel more than fine. So, can we go?" She stood up and adjusted her nightgown. Her hair spilled loosely past her shoulders as she moved about.

"I'm sorry, but you'll be coming with me. Your house is under investigation at the moment."

"WHAT?!"

"Excuse me?!

Brandon resisted the urge to cover his ears in order to protect them two high-pitched squeals. "Ladies, we do apologize for the inconvience caused but this attacker is no ordinary person."

Stella raised her hand. "Excuse me, but you're a male?"

Brandon slightly smirked. "So?"

Bloom waved her arms in front of his face. "Hello! She's just been attacked by one!"

The officer smirked. "Unless you're game to sleeping with your stalker-"

"Uh uh nope. Never mind," Stella raised her hand to stop him right there. "Uh let's go then. Where's your house?"

"Stella, I can't believe you're entertaining this idea!" Bloom crossed her arms.

Stella shrugged. "I'm not game for a repeat of today's incident. And from what I heard, you nearly got shot in the face. Wherever he's gonna take us, it can't be worse than what happened today."

Brandon crossed his arms. "Excuse me but I'm standing right here."

The two girls ignored him and continued berating about where to stay tonight.

 _For real?_ he thought with a sigh. _Women._

* * *

 **~ 8:30 PM ~**

Brandon held the door open for both of them. "I do apologize but you'll be staying here for tonight."

"Woah! Check out the view!" Stella gushed as she looked outside a transparent window.

"I know, right? Too bad we don't have that at our home," Bloom said while twirling a lock of red hair with her finger.

 _These two nearly died tonight and they're here gushing about some view!_ Brandon shook his head in amusement. He clapped his hands to get their attention.

"Okay, enough about a random view. You two will be sleeping in the room at the end of hallway," he ordered while pointing to the direction.

Bloom sighed. "Oh thank God. I'm beat. This is probably the first time in years I've slept this year," she cooed as she followed into the dimly lit hallway, suddenly feeling sleepy.

"Um what about you?" Stella asked the brunette.

"I'm on the couch for tonight," he informed while gesturing to a black leather couch nearby.

"There's only one room in here?" Stella's eyes widened as she looked around.

"Yes," he nodded.

"You live alone?" she asked curiously.

He smiled. "My job doesn't allow me to live with someone."

Stella raised an eyebrow. _Please_. A police officer's job is not _that_ dangerous that they can't have a family lingering around. "Why is that?" she asked curiously.

He winked. "Now that's a secret. Go on in."

"I um...I can take the couch though. It's not fair to you," Stella offered.

"I don't think your friend will be too comfortable sharing a bed with me. And frankly, neither will I. Thanks for the offer, but no. I insist. Forget about the evening and get a good night of sleep," he said with a smile.

"You sure?" Stella asked one more time.

He nodded.

She shrugged an 'okay' before heading for the bedroom. Brandon watched her until she disappeared out of view. His smile dropped once he heard the bedroom door click. A look of seriousness donned his handsome face as he thought about the evening. He made sure that the doors and windows are locked. He closed the curtains as well, just in case.

He called Saladin to let him know about the latest improvements and updates.

After a few hours, he allowed himself to let out a small break. Glancing towards the bedroom's direction, he silently crept into the hallway. His footsteps were nonexistent as he walked noiselessly. He opened the door silently and poked his head in. There was a window in this room, but it had way too many bars to let anyone inside. He silently walked around the room to make sure that the window is locked anyway.

He checked the bathroom as well. His careful, meticulous eyes didn't spare an inch. He changed quickly into something comfortable. Satisfied, he closed the door behind him when he was done. He eyed the two females sleeping peacefully on his bed. Without another word, he left the room and locked it, making zero sound. He strolled back to the living room and sat in the couch.

He took out his gun. He eyed the black metal which shone in the dim light. He checked his ammunition before tucking it back in the folds of his pants. With a small sigh, he lay down and sank into the soft leather. It was a little uncomfortable seeing that the couch was too small to fully accompany his towering height of nearly 6'2''.

* * *

 **~ 8:00 AM ~**

Stella yawned as she came out of the bedroom. She saw the brunette police officer quietly sipping a cup of hot, steaming coffee while typing away something in his laptop.

"Good morning, officer," Stella greeted.

He looked up and smiled, "Morning, Stella. Is Bloom awake?"

The blonde nodded. "She's in the bathroom. Um...thank you for the toothbrushes and stuff," she thanked awkwardly.

He nodded with another dazzling smile and returned back to his work. "How'd you sleep last night?" he asked curiously while not looking up.

"I've slept better," Stella shrugged as she yawned again.

He looked up at her once more. She looked a little pale and her eyes seemed tired. "Bad dreams?" he offered. She nodded. "It's not everyday someone sneaks into your house unnoticed. You're bound to have creepy dreams."

He shut down his laptop and stood up, walking towards her. "Stella, both of you will have to come with me to give a report," he said while sipping coffee.

"Um...do I have to? Can't I do it here?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. It's kind of procedure," he shrugged.

"Okay," she frowned. She broke the contact and looked around the house. Sunlight poured in from the translucent windows, making the house brighter by many shades. She looked back at him again who was busy typing something into his phone. He was dressed in jeans and a dark navy collared shirt that showed off his height and broad shoulders.

"Hey, people..." a drowsy voice greeted from behind.

Brandon looked up. "Good morning, Bloom." His phone started ringing suddenly.

"I need to take this. I made breakfast. Eat up and we'll be on our way," he pointed while he sprinted to his room.

Bloom and Stella looked at each other. "I suppose we'll be giving our statements in our pajamas?" Stella looked at herself with a frown.

Bloom smirked, "You mean, in _your_ pajamas. I'm half-decent here." The blonde groaned as the redhead laughed.

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles Police Station - Headquarters - 9:00 AM ~**

Saladin rubbed his chin in thought. "I wonder whom I should give the case to..." Just then, a knock on the door interrupted him.

"Come in!"

He took his seat when he saw Brandon and the two victims. The girls took their seats while he stood behind him. Saladin cleared his throat. "So shall we begin?"

Stella frowned. "Yes. I would first love to know why I can't go back to my house to grab a fresh set of clothes." Bloom snickered and Brandon smirked in amusement.

"Your house is under investigation, ma'am. Until we have your statements, we can't allow you to go back," Saladin explained with a firm smile. He crossed his arms. "Now why don't you tell us about yourselves? Ms. Solaria, why don't you start first?"

"Um...well, there's really not much to our lives. Bloom and I live together and we're seniors at California State," Stella shrugged not knowing what else to say.

"So you mentioned that you live together. Can you describe that?"

Bloom answered, "Well, we grew up together. We've practically known each other since Pre-K."

"Oh and our parents are good friends too. They're rarely around since they travel a lot for business trips and such. And since we go to college here, they brought a house for us."

Saladin nodded, satisfied with the explanation. "So what really happened?"

"Well...I don't know. Everything happened so fast," Stella said as she slightly paled.

"Try to recall a little, Stella," Brandon prompted from behind her.

"Well...I was uh...searching for something in Bloom's room when someone grabbed me from behind. I saw him in the mirror and he was covered from top to bottom in black. I yelled for help when he injected into me. I don't remember anything after that. I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's completely understandable," Brandon reassured.

"So you didn't hear him come in?" Saladin asked.

Stella shook her head. "No, I was just really tensed at that moment to register what was going on."

Saladin raised an eyebrow. "Tensed? Why is that?"

Stella bit her lip. "I was searching for a dress in Bloom's room."

Brandon, too, raised an eyebrow. "You were _that_ tensed for a dress?"

Stella's fingers slightly shook as she remembered the terror she felt yesterday. Noticing that, Bloom placed an arm around her friend's shoulders. She decided to intervene, "Stella's clothes have been missing for a few days now. She ironed a dress the day before to wear for our first day of college. And she told me yesterday in the cafeteria that she couldn't find it."

"...Your clothes have been missing and you didn't bother reporting it?" Saladin asked a little sternly.

"Because I didn't even consider the possibility that a stranger might be lurking in our house," Stella retorted a little angrily. So what were they suggesting now? That she's in league with a man who nearly raped her and nearly shot her best friend in the face?!

Saladin shook his head. "I'm sorry but we need to be sure. Alright, so Ms. Sparks. Why were you outside in the first place?"

"Because a cousin of mine had asked me to tutor her. She wanted to start off really well for her school this year."

"Can you describe the man?"

Stella sighed. This investigation was getting too long and boring for her liking. "He was around six feet. Um...that's all I noticed," she said as she turned towards Bloom.

"Wait. I think I saw a red pocket handkerchief in his shirt? And there was a lightning bolt on his chest."

Saladin's eyes widened. "W-w-what?" He suddenly stood up. "Are you sure?" Brandon asked in alarm. Bloom and Stella looked at each other. Did they say something wrong?

"Um...yes? Why?" Bloom asked unsurely.

Saladin dismissed the redhead's question and turned his undivided attention to the worried blonde. "Miss Solaria, we're afraid that you might be in severe danger. You'll have to be relocated and we'll assign one of our finest men to act as your bodyguard-"

"Woah, woah, _woah_. Wait. Why would I be in terrible danger?" Stella asked. "He's just a stalker, so why-"

Brandon shook his head. "If what you're saying about his physical attributes is true, then he's not just a mere stalker."

"Then what?" the girls simultaneously asked.

Saladin took a deep breath. "Miss Solaria, this man is responsible for countless amount of rapes and 67 missing girls so far. We've seen reasonable evidence to presume they're all dead. But we never caught him. Even if we did, he escapes in mere seconds. Like in your case, for example. We have no face identification of him."

Stella covered her mouth. "...He's a serial killer? I..."

"Wait," Bloom intervened. "Then why didn't he try to rape me if he's a womanizer like you said? I'm a woman and I was standing like ten feet away."

"He _is_ a womanizer. Any woman who doesn't give in will be raped. He believes that any woman would have sights for him and only him. But...he only handles one woman at a time," Saladin answered.

Brandon scratched his head at the new and weird information. Handle one woman at a time? "That means he'll come after Stella again. Saladin, we need more than one bodyguard for her."

"Miss Solaria, officer Brandon Shields will be your bodyguard from now on," Saladin informed authoritatively.

"What?!" Stella nearly screamed. "Wait, I never agreed to this."

The older man sternly glanced at her. "Didn't you hear what I said? You'll be dead if you don't."

Bloom placed an arm around Stella and nodded at her. The blonde didn't say anything for a few moments. "I need some air," she said as she stood up. She turned on her heel and instantly left the office. Bloom followed her friend while Brandon stared at his boss.

"Yes?"

The brunette crossed his arms. "Do you really know what you're doing?! How can you make me the bodyguard for that girl? I'm not fit enough. I've only been on the force for two years!"

Saladin smiled at his favorite cop. "Yes, but you've accomplished more than anyone here including me. You've surpassed all the expectations I ever had of you. Plus, you have experience from the FBI."

"You said yourself that this man is dangerous."

"Brandon, I trust no one else. Son, I don't want this woman to be the 68th victim, okay? And you're the only man I can entrust this job to. So, can I or can I not rely on you?" Saladin asked.

The brunette sighed. "Fine. Stella is my responsibility from now on. What about Bloom? Won't he come back after her?"

Saladin shook her head. "Not until he goes after Stella. We need to separate them."

Brandon nodded.

* * *

"Stella, this isn't a joke. I've had goosebumps since yesterday so I don't know why you're not scared!" Bloom said as she slapped Stella's arm.

"Of course I am scared, Bloom! I was almost raped and you could've died yesterday! What makes you think I'm not scared?!" Stella defended herself.

"Then accept the protection, please. I would _never_ forgive myself if something happened to you. It's for your own good. Why are you still debating over it?"

"...Because I don't want my life to just vanish. They make it seem as if I'll be assigned to the Witness Protection or something!"

"You won't be," a third voice answered. Stella turned around to see the officer walking towards them. He stopped before them. Addressing each of them sternly, he spoke, "Listen, this is just temporary till we catch the criminal. Stella, he won't stop. He _will_ come back for you."

Brandon watched Stella flinch at that. He gently held her shoulder. "You don't have to be scared, okay?" The blonde nodded.

"Bloom...however, we'll be assigning a different bodyguard to you. You're not in any potential danger. It's just a precaution," Brandon assured.

"Actually...is it okay if I go to New York? Our parents need to know and I think I'll be safer there," Bloom offered.

Brandon nodded. "Well...if that's the case, then by all means. Let's go."

"You mean now?!" the girls yelled, nearly making him deaf.

* * *

 **I'm the last person to be impressed by this oneshot, but _I promise (I hope I can keep it) the next one will definitely be better._**

Thank you for reading & please review!


	3. Hit School and Sizzle at the Club

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

I don't know if anyone wants to read this anymore because it's been nearly _three_ months or so since I updated this...

So uh...yeah, that's it for the AN for now. So, please tell me if anyone is still interested in this fic!

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles, California - 11:00 AM ~**

Stella looked out the window feeling glum. They were just returning from the airport after dropping a very anxious Bloom off. The blonde looked at the passing buildings and chuckled dryly at how quickly her life changed overnight.

"Stella?"

She turned to Brandon Shields, the officer in charge of protecting her. "You okay?" he asked.

Stella anxiously nodded with a troubled sigh. "Yeah...I just...I just can't believe that this whole thing happened. Some stalker is stalking me and Bloom nearly got killed. What if...this whole situation doesn't end well?"

"Stella, believe me. You _can_ trust me," he reassured.

"I do. I really do. Can't I still be scared?" Stella glumly asked.

"I understand, but think about it. Keeping Bloom here is dangerous for her and it's hard for me to protect you both," Brandon explained.

Stella squirmed in her seat as she thought about last night. Those terrifying images played through her mind over and over again enough to give her daymares.

"Hey, I promised not to let anyone hurt you. I plan to stick by it," he smiled.

Stella's lips upturned slightly. "Thank you, officer."

"Brandon. Call me Brandon. Well, I-"

His phone suddenly rang leaving him to sigh and her to look at him in amusement. "Are you always this busy? You're practically having an affair with your phone," Stella smirked.

He chuckled. "No, not really. Until a case comes up, I'm usually free."

He picked up the call and held the device to his ear. "Hello? Yes, sir...no, we're on our way." He sighed and shook his head before cutting the line.

"What's that about?" Stella asked curiously.

"We have to head back to the station."

* * *

 **~ LAPD - 11:20 AM ~**

Saladin crossed his arms as he eyed both of them with meticulous and serious eyes.

"I called you here for some updates that you might be interested in," he said seriously. He turned to Stella who looked impatiently anxious. "Your house isn't exactly safe for you anymore, so we've decided that relocation is the best idea for now."

"What?!" the blonde exclaimed in shock.

"We'll be moving you to a secure location for security reasons. In fact, we'll be placing you under a protection program-"

Stella's eyes widened and she furiously shook her head. "Uh uh NO WAY. I'm not leaving or changing my identity! I go to a university and I'm not letting some psycho ruin what I have," she crossed her arms stubbornly.

"...The exact reason as to why we didn't do that. Besides, we need to capture him. So we have our reasons as well. Also, we tried placing other victims in Witness Protection Program, but that didn't work out. He managed to finish them easily," Saladin explained glumly. "Therefore, you need to be in public no matter what. It's actually safer for you."

Stella bit her lip nervously. "Um...not that I don't trust Brandon or anything, but what if something happens to him?"

"Seeing as this man is dangerous, we'll be placing higher officers near your area. So you'll be safe, Stella," Saladin warmly smiled.

"What about him?" Stella fidgeted as a small smirk made its way on the brunette's handsome face, who was standing behind her.

"We'll take care of that," the old man answered.

"Is that all?" Brandon asked after a long time of silence.

"Wait, I forgot about the most important part," Saladin raised his hand.

Stella intervened. "Yeah, me too. What about Bloom? I can't just throw her on a plane and forget about her!"

"Fear not, Ms. Solaria. Right now, even the plane she's on is well protected by one of our cops. She'll be assigned an officer as soon as she steps down from that place," he explained. Stella nodded in relief.

Saladin smirked while turning his attention to Brandon. "Shields, you'll be joining Stella in California State University. The same university that she goes to."

Brandon's eyes widened and Stella looked stunned. He scoffed. "No disrespect, Saladin, but I'm not joining a university with a bunch of kids."

Stella turned to him and resisted the urge to punch him. "Excuse me?! We're all adults here!"

Saladin smiled in amusement at the exchange. "Brandon, you'll be accompanying her. End of story."

"Why can't she just stay at home and learn to cook or something?" the brunette muttered incredulously.

Stella glared. "Dude, I'm _so not_ your maid."

Saladin facepalmed at the ludicrous conversation that these two were having. "Brandon, if Stella disappears from the university all of a sudden, it will arouse suspicion. He will find her. Public places are good for her right now."

Brandon groaned. "Fine! Whatever." He turned to Stella and poked her in the shoulder. "You owe me for this."

Saladin clapped. "Great. Now that you've agreed, you'll be happy to know that we already did the paperwork and sent them to the university. You're paired with every class that Stella has. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Brandon grumbled grumpily while Stella watched him with amusement.

"One more thing. You are not to mention any of this to anyone. As far as this is concerned, Stella doesn't know you and vice versa. You'll be a transfer student from Canada."

The young adults nodded.

"Good. Now off you go. Here is the address of the apartment for your temporary stay. A few lady officers have taken the liberty of dropping your stuff off for you. Both of you rest for today and go to your classes from tomorrow."

"Thank you," Stella said as she stood up. Saladin nodded with a fatherly smile.

* * *

 **~ 11:45 AM ~**

The two exited out of the station and hopped into Brandon's car. He started the ignition and they were soon cruising around the streets smoothly.

"So...now that we have the day off, do you want to go somewhere?" he asked casually, trying to make a conversation.

"And _please_ don't mention a mall," he added quickly, appearing a little pale at the prospect. He'd rather go on a suicide mission than hop to a mall with a girl.

Stella laughed. "Whereever we're going, can we do it AFTER I _change_?! I think I'm dying for a shower," she shuddered feeling completely grossed out. Plus, it was embarrassing to wander around the town wearing nothing but a flimsy nightgown and slippers.

Brandon laughed as he took in her distressed face. "Yeah, sure," he agreed as he took a smooth right.

"By the way, can't I use my own car?" Stella asked.

He shook his head. "Not yet. Take rest for a day or two before heading back for college. You'll be able to drive your own car then. I'll have one of the officers drop it off at the new apartment soon."

She nodded as they both headed towards their new apartment.

* * *

 **~ The Next Morning - 7:00 AM ~**

Brandon Shields sipped on his morning coffee as he flopped on the sofa in the living room of their new apartment. He ruffled his damp dark hair to dry it faster. His phone rang suddenly and he raised an eyebrow, wondering who's calling him at this hour.

He grew immediately alert when he saw that it was Saladin. "Chief," he greeted.

"I called to make sure that so you won't skip your classes today," Saladin warned sternly.

Brandon chuckled and glanced at the direction of Stella's bedroom. "You might tell that to Miss Solaria. She isn't awake yet," he smiled while going back to sipping his morning black coffee.

"Ahh, I see. Well do what you need to do BUT make sure that she's safe. _Do not_ leave her side at _any cost,_ " Saladin informed, emphasizing the danger that Stella is in.

"You can count on me, sir," Brandon informed coolly.

"That's my boy. Alright, have a good one."

"You too."

Brandon hung up before standing up. "YO! Stella, wake up!" he yelled before tossing his phone back into his pocket. He nonchalantly walked towards her bedroom and flung the door open. He tiptoed over to her bed where she lay peacefully and practically buried herself underneath the covers.

"Stella?" he shook her gently. He raised an eyebrow when she didn't even stir. "Stella!" he shook her even harder.

"Five more minutes, Bloom..." she murmured sleepily before slapping his hand off.

He scoffed. "For real? Stella, either you wake up or I drag your little butt to the bathroom," he snapped.

Stella managed to get out of her torpor long enough to realize that Bloom isn't here and it's Brandon talking to her. "What do you want?" she grumbled.

"We're going to be late, you know!" he shook her violently, his patience running thin. _Oh boy._ It's clearly going to be harder than he thought to live with this blonde.

"Already?!" she peeled her eyes wide open. "But I just fell asleep!"

"I can't believe this," he shook his head, feeling ridiculous. He's a grown man and she's a grown woman. YET, she's throwing a tantrum and eating his head off.

"You better get ready soon or there'll be no breakfast soon," he called out while leaving her bedroom to give her a little privacy.

"For a cop, you sure don't act professional around me," Stella yawned while sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"I'm a cop for the bad guys. Not you," he smirked, standing near her door. "Get ready soon," he smiled before closing the door shut behind her.

Stella grumpily grumbled and forcefully dragged herself out of bed. She sleepwalked to the bathroom and got ready for the day. She swiftly did her daily business and took a long and hot shower. The blonde closed her eyes in bliss but only for a moment. Her thoughts became preoccupied with the stalker.

 _Who could it be?_ she thought. Fear pricked in her heart because she honestly had no idea what she was up against. She didn't know for how long he had been watching her. Hell, she didn't even know that a man like that existed until two days ago! And _that_ scared her a lot than she gave credit for.

And Bloom's nearly fatal attack. Stella was extremely thankful that nothing happened to her best friend. But, this man is dangerous enough to scare the living daylights out of her since, from what she has been told, he didn't even _flinch_ while taking his gun out. It's like he was brought up among guns and firepower.

Sighing, she cut the shower off before stepping out of the tub and wrapping a soft cotton towel around herself. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked towards her suitcases. She opened one of them and stared at the clothes blankly. She wondered how many of them are missing. Sighing again, she picked out the first thing she saw: a brown cotton full-sleeved shirt and black jeans. She topped off the look with brown boots and straightened her hair.

Grabbing her bag and phone, she opened the bedroom door and went out into the hallway to meet up with her bodyguard.

* * *

 **~ 7:30 AM ~**

"Hi," Stella waved while walking into the kitchen.

"Morning," Brandon gruffly greeted. He tossed a plate of pancakes to her and she raised an eyebrow at his snippy attitude. She crossed her arms and glared at him. Cop or not, he'll most definitely _not_ treat her like a ragged doll.

"Jeez, what crawled up your butt and died?" Stella huffed.

"The fact that I'm going back to school. This is totally unbelievable. And IT'S YOUR FAULT," he huffed.

Stella started to laugh. _OH._ He was being awfully grumpy because of this? "Oh boy. You haven't seen anything yet in that case," she giggled.

He shook his head. "Whatever." He tossed her a familiar set of keys and Stella caught them with confusion.

"You'll drive your own car," he confirmed her doubts.

"...we're not going together?" she asked, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

He shook his head. "I'm a transfer student, remember? We can't go together."

Stella nodded in understanding and turned to her food. She suddenly lost her appetite as anxiety creeped up into her. _Calm down, you'll be fine. Calm down._

Sensing her unspoken fear, Brandon spoke up. "Hey, look at me," he commanded softly.

She did and in place of the cocky brown eyes she saw earlier, warm and comforting molten eyes stared back at her. "You _can_ trust me, Stella. I'll be following you, okay? Even if you can't see me, believe me, I'll always have my eyes on you," he assured her.

She shook her head. "It's not just that..." she sighed. "What if you can't? What if can't protect me? Forget protecting. What if YOU get hurt?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "It's not your job to worry about me."

"It is if I'm the one responsible for putting you in danger," Stella replied.

His eyes slightly widened. "Well, wouldn't it be nice if Saladin had that same concern for me?" he dramatically clutched his heart, earning a laugh from her.

She smiled at him. "I'm serious," she giggled.

"So am I. Saladin was responsible for my near-death experiences in life," he shuddered.

 _Near death?_ Stella asked herself. For some reason, hearing about that made her heart ache. She didn't want to see Brandon in pain. She knows that he's kind of a cop and that it's in his job description to serve and protect, but he's still a human being. He deserves a chance at real life instead of spending his time running for life.

She looked up when Brandon placed a palm over hers. "I'll be fine," he smiled in reassurance. "Just worry about yourself."

She nodded. "Thank you."

"Thank me when it's over."

* * *

 **~ California State - 7:40 AM ~**

Stella looked over her shoulder as she parked her car into the parking lot. She sighed in relief when she saw a familiar black car parked behind a few spaces away. Grabbing her bag, she slung it over her shoulder as she stepped out. She locked the car behind her and looked straight.

The morning bell was about to ring and students rushed to their respective classes in a hurry. Stella took a deep breath as she walked towards her department. She dared not look back and composed her face to one of indifference, remembering Brandon's earlier words to her.

 _"Whatever you do, try not to maintain eye contact with me until I introduce myself as a new student."_

 _"Don't tell anyone that you were attacked. If anyone asks about Bloom, she scheduled her courses to online classes."_

 _"Act natural and pretend that you never went to the cops or that you have a bodyguard."_

 _Act natural. Got it,_ Stella composed herself as she took a few deep breaths to clear out the anxious pit in the well of her stomach.

 _"One last thing. Don't be scared, Stella. I'll be right beside you if I sense any harm."_

She found herself smiling lightly at that.

A few minutes later, she found herself sitting in her every day classroom. The tardy bell hasn't rung yet, so there were still so many incoming students hurrying their way in. Griselda stood at the edge of the door and shouted at the lingering students in the hallway. "Now, now, students, no dilly-dallying! Get to classes before I assign you to detention!" she sternly addressed with hands on her hips.

"Ugh, are those colors clashing or what?" a shrill and nasally voice squeaked from behind, making Stella's ears figuratively bleed. The blonde turned around to see the ever-so-immature Mitzi McColl yapping her mouth away about the latest Vogue issue.

"Stella, honey, if you needed fashion tips, you should've come to me," Mitzi smirked while looking at her freshly manicured nails. Her sidekicks, Diaspro and Chimera, snickered like always.

Stella rolled her eyes. She was already scared enough and twits like Mitzi just don't understand. "The only thing I need is a change of seat from this idiot," Stella muttered to herself, but loud enough for Mitzi to hear. The raven-haired snob scoffed and was about to reply but the bell rang, cutting her off. Griselda closed the door and locked it behind her before waltzing inside.

Stella looked ahead confused. _Where's Brandon?_ she thought to herself.

"Alright, class. Enough murmuring and whispering. I hear another peep from any of you and it's detention for you," Griselda authoritatively said. The elderly brunette teacher looked at the students with triumph, as if daring them to utter an unnecessary word. But no one actually dared to. Even though, Griselda was practically a strict and disciplinary martinet, she was respected for her classroom coordination.

She faced the black board and popped open a marker to start writing but was interrupted when there was a knock at the door.

Stella hopefully looked up and eagerly waited for Griselda to open the door. The brunette lecturer huffed and marched to the door and got ready to give the late student a piece of her mind. She opened the door and looked surprised for a moment.

"When will you students learn to be on time?" Griselda crossed her arms disappovingly.

"Actually, I'm new here, ma'am," a smooth, rich, and familiar voice answered, making Stella's eyes light up like a Christmas tree.

"Ahh, yes. The transfer student. This is the last time, however," Griselda answered before letting him in.

"Yes, ma'am. Of course."

Stella, for some reason, felt a rush of excitement as Brandon walked inside the classroom. The blonde rolled her eyes when the girls around her let out a collective gasp at his drool-worthy charisma. But...now that she thought about it, Brandon was actually the living personification of a Greek god. His eyes were a distinctive brown mixed with dark yellow, giving his already sex appeal a seductive touch. His symmetric face joined at his perfect jawline, that looked as if it's been perfectly and meticulously carved.

He wore a black jacket with a navy shirt underneath along with dark jeans. His shirt was practically plastered to his body, showing off exclusive proof of his body which must've endured tireless and intense workout sessions. He wasn't bulky. Rather, he was attractively muscular that made the female population swoon with delight and Stella was no exception to this rule. As if that isn't enough, he towered over many students in the classroom at an appealing height of nearly 6'3''.

 _Wow..._ Stella thought to herself. She can only imagine how popular Brandon must be during his college days. He must've won over the entire female population and made the male population grow green with envy.

"Introduce yourself briefly before taking a seat," Griselda nodded.

"Hey everyone. My name is Brandon Shields. I'm from Canada and I just moved here a few weeks ago," Brandon smiled at everyone. Girls swooned at his smile and even Stella found herself gaping at him with a small, dreamy smile on her face.

"Very well. Take your seat," Griselda nodded towards an empty seat at the back.

Brandon nodded before walking towards the seat. He caught Stella's eyes and tossed a small smile at her before taking his seat. Stella blushed before facing the front. For some reason, she felt new butterflies in her stomach. Her mind finally felt at ease and oddly happy.

"Oh my god, Mitzi! He just winked at you!" Diaspro chimed from behind.

"Girl, he's soooo diggin' you!" Chimera nodded like an idiot.

"Girls, he's so mine..." Mitzi victoriously smirked while twirling strands of black locks around her fingertips.

Stella, hearing the lovey dovey whispers from behind, resisted the urge to bang her head on the table. _Ugh._ This is going to be a long day.

"You think he's got a girlfriend?" Diaspro whispered.

"Girls in the back! Unless you have something helpful to contribute, I suggest you keep your mouth shut," Griselda warned the trio.

"Yes, ma'am..." Mitzi rolled her eyes.

* * *

 _ **A few hours later...**_

 **~ 3:30 PM ~**

Stella walked to her locker and placed her textbooks inside. As she did so, she looked around her and hoped to catch a glimpse of Brandon. As Saladin said, so far, Brandon and her shared every class together.

"Looking for me?" a smug voice said from behind, making Stella jump a little. Brandon chuckled and came in front of her. She scowled at his arrogance. "Who said I was?"

"Oh wait. Why were you late this morning? I thought you were following me," she asked him curiously, imitating his voice at the last sentence. He rolled his eyes. "Thanks to you, I was stuck with filling paperwork in the guidance office."

"Oh. Then how'd you figure out where the classroom is? You got here pretty fast," she asked, closing her locker shut.

"I made sure you were in the classroom before heading towards the guidance office," he shrugged.

A small 'oh' escaped her lips as she looked at him in amazement, impressed by the extent of seriousness he handled his job.

They didn't even eat lunch together. Instead, he told her that he can't act too friendly on the first day itself. It might arouse suspicion in case Stella's stalker is from this school. She understood his line of thought and settled with eating lunch with her other friends.

"I'll see you later," he spoke lowly, silently indicating for her to get going. She nodded and went ahead first.

She walked to the parking lot and found her car. Taking out her keys, she unlocked the doors. She opened the door but jumped when a hand overlapped over hers.

She turned to the side to see Mitzi glaring at her. Stella let out a silent breath of relief. She shook her arm loose from the brat. "Do you mind? I need to go," the blonde snapped.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Mitzi hissed.

"Excuse me?" Stella crossed her arms and stared at her pointedly.

"Brandon is mine! Stay away from him."

Stella sighed out of exasperation. She didn't need this right now. "He's not your property. And I will talk to him if I want to. Now, if you don't mind," she said, swatting Mitzi's hand away before getting into the car. She normally ignored Mitzi, but her nerves were a little rattled right now. She just wanted to go home and rest in peace.

Shaking her head, she pulled the car out of the lot.

* * *

 **~ 4:15 PM ~**

Stella pulled into the driveway of the new house. She took a deep breath before taking out her stuff and getting out of the car.

She looked around to see any signs of Brandon. To her disappointment, there were none. Oh well. He'll be here soon. Walking over to the front door, she unlocked it and made her way in. She locked the door behind her and set her bag aside.

"Took you long enough," a familiar, deep voice rang out from the hallway ahead. Stella screamed in fright and collided against at the door with enough force for her back to start bruising any second.

Brandon looked stunned at her reaction for a moment before starting to laugh loudly out of nowhere. Stella growled and sprinted to him.

"YOU! HOW DARE YOU DO THAT?!" she yelled as she pounded on his shoulder repeatedly. He winced a little and then took her flying fists into his hands.

"You do realize it's a crime to hit a police officer, right?" he smirked. "In fact...I have full authority to throw your ass in jail right now."

Stella scoffed. "And I have the authority to report that you...um..." she trailed, trying to think. He smirked harder at her loss of words. "...that you broke in?" she finished, blushing in embarrassment.

"I used the back door," he explainined while shaking his head with amusement, letting go of her hands.

"Let's go," he grabbed her wrist and started dragging her towards his bedroom.

"What?! Where?!" she asked in panic. She was practically flying at the rate he was pulling her with.

He stopped suddenly and her head crashed into his shoulder. She let out a surprised 'oof' and rubbed her sore head. "We've apparently got homework and I don't plan on doing it alone," he glared at her and spoke with an edge in his tone. Looking at his grumpy face, Stella burst into a fit of giggles before following him inside.

It was strange how they were both addressing each other formally till yesterday and now, they both seemed oddly at ease with each other.

Brandon closed the door behind him and pushed Stella towards his bed.

"It's hard to believe that you're a cop," Stella scoffed while sitting on his bed.

He chuckled before taking out his books and joining her on the mattress. "And it's hard to believe that I'm not stuck babysitting a brat," he smirked.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Jerk," she muttered.

"I was meaning to ask you. Why were you pissed off earlier?" he asked curiously.

"When?" Stella asked in confusion.

"I don't know. You seemed like you wanted to rip someone's head off when I saw you in the parking lot earlier," he commented while amusement danced in his eyes.

Understanding flashed in Stella's eyes. Well, it would take no brainer to answer that. _Mitzi._ "Oh...that would be Mitzi. She's your biggest fan. And uh...she practically told me to buzz off and said that you're her boyfriend."

He scoffed. "Excuse me? What, so I don't get a say in this?"

Stella raised her hands in surrender. "Hey, I wasn't the one who said it."

 _"Women..."_ he said absentmindedly, leaving Stella to shoot a small glare at him and punch his shoulder.

He glared back. "Didn't anyone ever teach you to respect your elders?!"

Stella burst out laughing. "Elders? Who? You?"

"Technically, I am older than you by two years, blondie," he smirked.

She blushed. _It wasn't much..._ "Oh..."

Brandon sighed heavily as he looked at the homework. "Oh boy. I've had it," he muttered.

"But we didn't even start," Stella laughed.

"Want to go clubbing?" he asked out of nowhere, making Stella's eyes pop out.

"W-What?" she asked in surprise.

He closed his book and leaned back against the headboard, gazing at her surprised face with nonchalance. "Why are you so shocked? I'm not totally without a social life, you know," he smirked.

"No, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I've just...I've never gone clubbing before," she admitted bashfully.

His eyes widened. "Really? Then we simply have to go," he smirked, sitting up and leaning closer to her.

"Wouldn't it be hard for you to...you know?" Stella asked tentatively.

"I'll take care of that," he smiled.

Stella fidgeted with her fingers, hesitating. She felt nervous. She never went to a club like this. Those high-tech places scared her. A place filled with one nightstands, drugs, and sex...and she didn't want to end up like those girls.

"Hey, if you're not comfortable, it's totally fine."

Stella looked up to see Brandon gazing her with warmth. "Will you be with me the whole time?"

He smiled at how adorably soft her voice was. "Of course I will."

"Okay then," Stella agreed. She just realized how better she felt when Brandon assured her that he'll be by her side no matter what.

"Then get ready. We'll leave in a few hours," he smiled while getting up from the bed. Stella watched with an avid fascination when he stretched and rolled back his shoulder biceps, giving her a fantastic view of the shape of his muscles through his shirt.

 _Please don't tell me I'm falling for my bodyguard..._ Stella blushed as she watched him head to the bathroom.

* * *

 _ **3-4 hours later...**_

 **~ 8:00 PM ~**

Stella looked at herself in the mirror. She smiled at her reflection in satisfaction. She didn't wear anything slutty. She didn't even own such clothes. She donned a white off-shoulder ruffled decor bell-sleeved denim dress that suited her slender figure perfectly. She left her hair open in waterfall curls with tendrils hanging gently down the sides of her face. She poofed her frontal bangs slightly and left them out in the open.

She added just a subtle touch of makeup including a white eyeshadow and pink lip balm.

A knock on the door interrupted her. Her white heels clicked against the floor as she went over to the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door, only for her breath to hitch. Brandon donned a deep burgundy leather jacket with pitch black jeans and a black shirt underneath. His dark chestnut hair hung just over his eyes that Stella couldn't help but want to gently brush the strands away. He looked even more drop dead handsome that he already is, if that was even possible.

Brandon's eyes widened and darkened a tad at the girl standing in front of him. He only had one word to describe her. _Gorgeous._ She dressed simple but she looked so elegant. Her golden and silky strands suited her face perfectly and he had to resist the urge to run his hands through them. _What's happening to me?_ he frowned internally to him. _I can't...I can't be attracted to her,_ he mentally berated himself.

"Ready?" her soft voice interrupted his internal battle.

He smiled and nodded. "You look great, by the way," he genuinely complimented her.

She blushed. "Thank you and so do you," she said.

He grinned cheekily before ushering for them to go. In a few minutes, they both loaded themselves into Brandon's car.

* * *

 **~ Exchange LA - 8:25 PM ~**

Brandon parked the car in front of one of the exclusive and high-tech nightclubs of LA. This club always had a great energy and not the kind of energy where cops are involved. If they are involved, they would be like Brandon: off-duty and partying. Stella stepped out and felt the night's chilly air kiss her face. It was really a beautiful night.

She went to join Brandon but gasped when he placed an arm around her shoulders. "Act like we're a couple," he whispered in her ear. She looked at him in confusion. "Why?"

He chuckled. "It's for your own good," he smirked. Still not understanding, he sighed and simply told her to walk.

Stella's eyes widened when she saw a bouncer standing guard at the club's front door. And she suddenly understood why Brandon held her against him. They both went up to the entrance where the bouncer looked at her like she was a piece of meat.

"Mhm..." he licked his lips lustfully.

 _"AHEM."_ Brandon coughed from beside her, throwing him a stern glare.

"Oh. Right. You can go," the bouncer smirked. As the 'couple' took a step forward, the bouncer addressed Stella.

"Hey, young lady...you free tonight?"

Stella's eyes widened and before she could think of a reply, Brandon beat her to it. "Dude, you're hitting on my girl _right in front of me?"_ the brunette growled in anger.

"Whatever. Just go," the bouncer shrugged.

Without another word, Brandon took Stella inside. He carefully eyed the blonde. She looked frightened at the club's atmosphere and avoided physical contact with people dancing. Unconsciously, she gripped Brandon's arm and practically clung to his side.

"Be easy, okay? Try to have fun," he insisted, flashing a smile to her side.

She nodded and looked at the club's grandeur with awe on her features. Her eyes twinkled as lights flashed according to the beat of the music. Her lips parted lightly as she took in the scene in front of her. The inside of the club didn't look that scary anymore. There was a DJ in the center of the room and people danced on the dance floor.

A few tables were set around the restaurant/bar where socially awkward people (like her) would fit right in. She wasn't awkward out there, but she is in a place like this. She honestly had no clue what to do in here.

"Want to dance?" he asked with a smile while offering his hand.

Stella, blushing like an idiot, slowly gave him her hand. "Okay..."

Grinning, he pulled her onto the buzzling dance floor. Her heart accelerated anxiously as she neared the crowd. She's so going to embarrass herself in front of Brandon now. What if she screwed up and stepped on his toe or something?

The song suddenly changed into a hypnotic beat that Stella couldn't recognize. Brandon stood in front of her and she followed his lead by placing a slightly shaking hand on his shoulder and her free hand interwining with his. Brandon wrapped his other arm around her waist, pulling her close to his own body. Stella gulped lightly and Brandon, who noticed her reaction, chuckled in amusement.

"Stella, I'm not taking you to a war. It's just a dance," he spoke against her ear, to drown out the noise. Stella blushed and looked around. People around her danced like there was no tomorrow and she was freaking out over a little movement. Taking a deep breath, she followed his lead as he moved her to the magical world of disco lights, laser beams, and iridescent glow of lights shining brightly on people. _I can let go and be loose,_ Stella mentally encouraged herself. Brandon was here. She was safe.

* * *

 ** _One hour later..._**

Stella laughed and smiled happily as Brandon twirled her and crushed her back to his chest. They were both laughing like idiots and talking about random things while they danced to the music. The DJ here was pretty good. He played music so that no one can resist a good dance.

Despite being heavily dehydrated and worsened as perspiration formed on her forehead, Stella couldn't help but want to keep dancing. Slick sweat glided down her back and her face felt extremely hot. Each dance move made her more and more breathless as she felt rushes of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Blood rushed to her cheeks as her heart pulsed with an accelerated rhythm as her breaths came out labored and ragged.

"You're pretty good at this," Brandon yelled over the sound of the music.

"So are you!" Stella complimented with a huge grin on her face. "B-But can we please take a break?!" the blonde panted like a retarded dragon as she struggled not to pass out from a lack of water and proper oxygen. He chuckled and nodded.

As they moved away from the dance floor, Brandon tightened his grip on Stella and meticulously looked around. His eyes stayed highly alert and his hands itched to take control in case anyone here dared to cross their boundaries. He originally invited Stella to this place to cool her nerves and it was meant for her to forget the danger she's currently in. But such actions also came with unwanted side effects. This was an extremely crowded place with limited lighting so it required for him to stay extra cautious and alert.

He led her to one of the empty tables with less people and motioned for her to sit down first. He sat in front of her and looked around casually. "You okay?" he asked while checking to make sure that they're in the clear.

"Uh huh," she murmured tiredly. "That was way too much for the first time," she moaned sleepily.

He raised an eyebrow at her tired torpor. "You're beat already? It's only been an hour," he chuckled.

"I need a drink," Stella whined thirstily. "I'll go and get something," she said as she stood up.

"Let me come with-" he started, standing up but she pushed him back down.

"Oh please. The bar is like ten feet away. I'm sure I can manage without getting myself kidnapped," she snapped. He chuckled. "Fine then. I'll just have water," he spoke. She nodded while he kept his eyes trained to her figure.

Stella went straight to the bar. She leaned across the counter and spoke to the bartender. "One pineapple juice, please," she ordered. The bartender winked and nodded before turning around to cater to her order.

"For real?" she muttered to herself.

She was about to turn around when a smooth voice collided against her ear. "Hey, baby," a rich voice echoed in her ears. Stella turned to her side to see a tall but a little lanky man standing next to her. He winked but to her nervousness. She chose to ignore the man and silently prayed for the bartender to hurry up.

"You wanna head upstairs, sweetheart?" the stranger asked, his breath reeking with alcohol, making Stella cringe and her stomach coil with fear.

"No thanks," she answered meekly.

"C'mon, baby, I'll make it worth your while," he replied. He raised his arm to grab her waist. And he was about to do just that, if not for another arm grasping the stranger's arm tightly.

Stella sighed in an immense relief when she saw Brandon glaring viciously from behind her. "I think the lady said no," he said in a deadly calm voice.

"Dude, mind your own business!" the stranger growled while trying to free his arm. "Let go, man!"

"She _is_ my business," Brandon replied with an surreal amount of calm in his voice that sent chills down Stella's spine. The hair on the neck of her neck stood up in fear as she watched the ordeal. Brandon's eyes flashed with an overprotectiveness as he moved closer to Stella such his front touched her back in a feathery touch.

"Fine, fine, whatever. Just let go!"

Brandon clenched his jaw for a few moments before shoving the man away from Stella. The latter scattered away to the best of his ability, trying not to let the alcohol dominate him in a state like this. Stella's lips quivered as she slowly let out the breath she didn't realize she's been holding.

"Are you alright?" a soothing voice asked from behind. Stella turned around and found Brandon staring down at her with the same playful eyes he always used with her. It seemed like just a few seconds ago that he wanted to almost kill the guy and now, he's...normal.

"Can we please leave?" Stella asked, her nerves racing.

Brandon watched her as she appeared shaken and rattled. At that moment, something inside of him _snapped._ He mentally berated himself for ever suggesting a place like this. Seconds later, he found himself escorting them both out safely. The bouncer from earlier hit on Stella again on their way to the exit and Brandon had to resist the urge to punch the guy. S

Stella closed her eyes and savored the delectable feeling of fresh air surrounding her. Although the night was chilly and cold, she preferred this rather than the atmosphere inside. The guy earlier from the bar freaked her out to no end.

Her eyes clouded in fright when she realized that she still had a stalker to shake off her tail. Living without knowing who her enemy is is just pure hell.

She didn't even realize she had been dumbly standing at the passenger's side until Brandon came to stand next to her.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

Confused, she turned to him. "For what?"

"If I knew that this place would make you this uneasy, I wouldn't have brought you here. I just wanted you to have fun," he admitted sincerely. "I didn't want you to be scared."

Stella's eyes widened as she listened to him. "What? No, no, no, not at all. I did have fun, thanks to you. It's been a while since I went that crazy. Believe me, I don't regret this outing," she smiled, referring to their one-hour dancing session.

He smiled lightly. "I'm glad. If you think that I'm incapable of protecting you-"

"I don't," Stella shook her head. "You proved that earlier by allowing no one to touch me," she stated in awe. Brandon had gotten there before that guy grabbed her. "I'm thankful for that," Stella said in gratitude before glancing ahead.

He took in her beautiful face for a few moments wordlessly. She was so simple, yet there was so much meaning to her every word. She was beyond gorgeous and he liked that she was conservative in her clothing. _He liked it a lot._ Her porcelain skin glowed ethereally in the night sky while her eyes twinkled with a serene happiness. Her lips seemed so beautifully soft and pink that he desperately craved to feel them against his own.

Before his imagination wandered any further, he forced his head to look ahead. _What the hell did I just feel?_ he thought in horror as he tried to calm his rampant beating. _No, no, no, I can't...I can't allow myself to fall for Stella in ANY way._ Doing so would get his personal feelings involved and he would violate rule number one of his years worth of police training.

 _Don't let emotions cloud your judgment._

And he can't, _he absolutely can't,_ fail at his mission to protect Stella at all costs. But...

 _Is it really just a mission right now?_ he thought in wonder. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. _No,_ it certainly isn't. Protecting Stella was no longer _just_ a mission. He genuinely cared for her and he wanted her to be okay. He wanted her to scream out of happiness and not out of fear that a lunatic might come at her doorstep at any second.

"Brandon? Are you okay?" she asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah. I'm just thinking," he answered before turning to her with a smile.

"About what?" she asked curiously.

"You," he replied. "It's just...you're the first civilian that I've talked to in a long while now..."

Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

He chuckled. "Nothing. Forget it. We should get going," he said, silently gesturing her to get in before going to the driver's side.

 _You're the first civilian I've talked to in a long while now._

 _What exactly do you do that made you live this way?_ Stella thought in concern. He didn't appear dangerous to her but she saw first-hand how angry Brandon can get when someone pisses him off. She saw that in the bar and if it made _her,_ the victim,scared to no end, she can only imagine how others would feel.

 _I wonder...has he ever killed anyone before?_ Stella thought, gulping at the new prospect. She didn't want to know the answer to that. In her heart of hearts, she felt like she already knew the answer to that. And she didn't want to ask him because it would only confirm her suspicions.

The car ride was mostly silent because Stella had resorted to dozing off the second he stepped onto the main road, much to his hushed amusement.

* * *

 **~ 10:30 PM ~**

Brandon pulled up into the driveway of the house and parked the car in the backyard. He stepped out and locked the doors before moving to take a perused search of the entire house. Satisfied, he went back to the car again and unlocked it. Opening the door to Stella's side, he saw Stella peacefully sleeping, totally unaware that he just checked the whole lawn for any signs of unwanted and intrusive trespassing.

"Stella, hey, wake up," he tapped her wrist gently. She didn't even stir. He tapped her again with more force. She stirred just a little before pushing his arm away. "Go away, I'm tired," she mumbled sleepily before continuing to doze off again.

 _Seriously?_ he thought in incredulity at her childish behavior. He took the house keys out. Sighing, he looped an arm behind her legs and another behind her back. He took her out gently and held her to his chest before closing the door shut with his foot. He climbed up the stairs and unlocked the back door with little difficulty.

Stepping inside the warm house, he stepped inside and securely locked the doors behind him. Holding her sleeping form to her, he walked towards her room, all the while making sure of his surroundings constantly. He entered her room and set her down on the bed gently with utmost care. Taking his arms off of her, he took off her white heels and placed them beside her bed. He removed the sling bag over her shoulders and placed it on the nightstand. The dress she wore wasn't too tight on her, so it should be comfortable enough for her till morning. He pulled the covers over her and tucked her in.

He checked her closets, under her bed, in the shower, and every other nook and cranny for anything suspicious. _Just in case._ He can't afford to lose in this case even in the slightest way. Coming back to her bed, he smiled at her, who was busy sleeping her worries away.

"Good night, Stella," he whispered to her sleeping form before turning around to leave. He stopped just at her door. He looked over his shoulder to glance at her one more time before noiselessly turning off the light and closing the door behind him.

He headed back to his room, leaving the door wide open, and had a quick shower. He changed into something comfortable and dropped onto his bed. Taking out his laptop, he casually surfed the net and proceeded to relax, with his back resting against the headboard.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

 **~ Somewhere Unknown - 11:00 PM ~**

In a dark mansion, a tall, dark, and brown-haired man lay restlessly on a lounge chair which faced a pool of a maximum depth of ten feet. A few beer bottles lay scattered around the chair. The man clutched a beer bottle in his hand and swung a shot every now and then, feeling furious.

"KELLY!" his harsh and brooding voice yelled.

In less than a second, a young girl of around twenty years appeared in front of him in a black and short tight-clad leather dress that hugged her body, accentuating every tid bit of her skin.

"You called?" she spoke.

"Have you found that girl?" he snapped, his eyes scanning lustfully over her delicious skin.

"No. Seems like she vacated her current house. And she hasn't been spotted in her college yesterday."

"What? Does that mean that she moved?"

"Don't be stupid. She's probably hiding around with her cousins or something," Kelly answered haughtily. "She came back to college today."

"Search for her. I want her found," he growled. He took another swung of his beer.

She nodded and crossed her arms with a devious smirk on her pouty red lips.

 _"You got it."_

 **...**

* * *

Like I said, I don't know if there is anyone still interested in this fic. So, please let me know :)!


	4. Fight, fight, fight!

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

...I'm not really sure if anyone wants to read this story anymore, so...the chapter is a little short.

* * *

 **~ California State University - The Next Day - 7:30 AM ~**

A collective chime could be heard ringing through the college, ushering students to get to their classes as soon as possible. Stella sat in her usual seat in her first class of the day. Despite having one of the straight-laced teachers of all time, she actually enjoyed Griselda's teaching. Griselda may be overly strict and a bit of a martinet, but she means well and like any other teacher, she wants her students to be better in life and reach their fullest potential.

She tapped her pen impatiently against the wooden surface of the desk, waiting impatiently and constantly cocking her head towards the door. She actually didn't know what or she was waiting for, but...

 _Liar,_ her subconscious smirked.

Stella blushed to herself, knowing exactly _why_ or rather, _whom,_ she was so excited and a tad bit impatient for. Just then, she heard a few dreamy cooes from her and glanced up to see Brandon entering the class with a backpack loosely slung over one of his broad shoulders. His lips were quirked into a handsome smirk as he walked into the class with an air of unmistakenable confidence. Girls squealed like horny teenagers as he walked by their desks. Stella was most definitely not immune to the adonis who sat a few desks away from her. As handsome as he was, no girl approached him yet.

Maybe they were too scared of rejection...

 _And they should be,_ Stella laughed softly to herself. A rejection by an impeccably handsome man...is just...

No. Just... _no_. It's just too painfully humiliating.

Stella turned to Brandon and couldn't help but blush when she saw his gaze subtly already on her. He winked at her before turning to face the front. Stella bit her lip as she flushed a little red while doing the same.

"Psst!" someone whispered from beside her.

Stella turned to her left to see Amaryl Woods smirking at her. "I saw that," the brunette giggled.

Stella giggled. "Nothing happened. Hush," she said.

Amaryl rolled her eyes. "For what? Have you seen that hunk?! He's a masterpiece!" the brunette gushed a little loudly, turning attentive heads towards the two. Stella turned red in the face when she saw Brandon smirking at her from the corner of her eye. _Dear Lord...please just kill me now! This is so embarrassing!_

"Would you just shut it?!" Stella hissed, leaving Amaryl to laugh good-naturedly.

"Awww, what's this? Our little Stella has a crush on the newbie," Mitzi smirked from behind the blonde while checking her face in her mirror.

Stella's eyes narrowed as she turned around. "Zip it, Mitzi," the blonde warned irritably.

"Awww...you're embarrassed. And you should be. As if you could ever score a guy like that," Mitzi snickered along with her devoted minions. _"Loser."_

"That's enough, Mitzi," Jay Saunders, one of Stella's good friends, stood up sharply while shooting a small smile towards the blonde. "You better watch that tone."

Musa Melody also glared and defended the blonde. "Yeah, girl. Watch that tone unless you want my fist to say hello to your bleached-ass face."

Mitzi rolled her eyes and chewed on her bubble gum, acting like the arrogant bitch that she is. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true." She gave the blonde a flick of her middle finger before checking her hair and nails on the mirror on her desk.

Brandon's eyes narrowed as he silently watched the conversation. It didn't need a brainer to know that it was about him. Plus, he heard his name. A few other students occasionally glanced wordlessly at him every once in a while before watching the escalating verbal argument.

Having had enough of Mitzi's verbal abuse, Stella's face contorted to one of anger. She stood up furiously and pounded a fist on Mitzi's table, scaring the bejesus out of the latter. "What the hell is your problem, Mitzi?!"

Mitzi scoffed before standing up angrily. "YOU ARE. You're my _f*cking_ problem! You're a sassy little _bitch_ who does nothing but get in my way!"

"What did you just say?!" Stella took a step ferociously before clenching a tight fist. Brandon stood up as he watched the ordeal with widened eyes. His eyes narrowed in vigilance, wondering if he should jump in.

"Fight!" someone yelled in the class and soon, everyone started to chant. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Are you scared, you bitch?! Why don't you run back to your momma?!" Mitzi snickered cruelly.

A collective "Ooooh" erupted in the classroom.

"How dare you, you brat?!" Stella yelled while clenching her fist tightly. A little frightened at the murderous look in Stella's eyes, Mitzi picked up the mirror that lay on her desk in total panic and hit the blonde forcefully on the side of her head. Stella's eyes widened and she barely blocked it using her arm, clearly not expecting that. She cried out in pain as the mirror shattered forcefully against her head, leaving a few glass shards to stick to her face and arm.

 _"NOOOO!"_ Brandon instinctively yelled and stood up in a bolt before immediately pushing the people in front of him out of the way.

The class abruptly fell silent as everyone watched in horror. Their provoking chantings died into a hushed silence. It was no longer that interesting.

Blood trickled down the side of her face and flowed stickily from the gash on her arm. Jay's eyes widened when he saw Stella wobble and clutch her head tightly. He took a step and instantly held her by the waist as she closed her eyes faintly. "Stell!" he yelled in panic. Musa stood from her desk and ran towards her best friend. "Stella! Someone call the ambulance!" she cried out.

Griselda suddenly came running into the classroom at the widespread panic and commotion. Her eyes widened at the hovering crowd, the little pools of blood that accumulated near Stella's head and waist, and Mitzi's horrified face. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" Griselda yelled in terror as she pulled out her phone and raced over to the injured blonde. Stella could barely open her eyes as she lay in Jay's arms unconsciously. Everyone stared at Mitzi, who looked as if she's about to pee herself.

"Mitzi McColl, you're going to pay for this. This has gone too far," Griselda threatened angrily while dialing 911 and the ambulance.

"But I didn't! I didn't do anything!" Mitzi defended herself and waved her arms wildly, trying to push everyone away. She tried to run but gasped painfully when an arm lashed out to her wrist tightly. "Let go!" she turned around to see Brandon throwing her a death glare.

"You have a lot of explaining to do to the authorities," Brandon hissed calmly.

He was tempted to show out his badge and bust her ass to jail, but his cover would be totally blown. He carelessly threw her to one of the other students who glared at her and held her tightly. Brandon instantly rushed over to Stella who was currently in Jay's arms.

"Give her to me," he told Jay calmly, barely able to keep the anger out of his tone. Jay gulped and nodded before slowly handing Stella over to Brandon. The brunette gently set her down on the floor and took a look at her injured face and arm. He winced at seeing a fairly large glass shard pierced into her skin. Blood oozed from her head and from her arm and stained his clean clothes, but he didn't care.

He sighed in relief when he saw that the shards weren't too deep on her arm. He gently held the glass piece and carefully and slowly pulled it out with precision as to not break off the fragile glass and leave it lodged deep into the skin. He frowned at the little pieces that pierced themselves into her cruelly, marring her beautiful face.

"Is she gonna be okay?!" Musa and Amaryl screamed while plopping to her knees and holding Stella's hand.

Brandon nodded. "She'll be fine. But _SHE,"_ he stopped for a moment while tossing a cold look towards the quivering Mitzi before continuing, "... _WON'T_ BE." _I'll make sure of that,_ Brandon gave the accused a frightening glare.

A siren was soon heard in the distance and grew louder as it approached the university. Brandon picked Stella up. The class parted way for him to pass. Jay, Musa, Amaryl, and a few others followed Brandon as he made his way over to the parking lot.

Two officers rushed inside. They grabbed Mitzi, ignoring her terrified screeches and abusive curses. Meanwhile, paramedics took Stella in and placed her on a stretcher. Brandon, Jay, and Musa got in the van while some chose to follow them using their cars.

* * *

 **~ St. Francis Medical Hospital - 9:30 AM ~**

Brandon watched the heartbeat monitor beep steadily and rhythmically. He placed his head between his hands and sighed, wondering when she'll wake up. She's been out cold for a while now. Doctors said that she probably fainted from shock. She lost quite a bit of blood and the doctor warned him that she'll probably have a headache or worse, a migraine, once the anesthesia wears off.

After what seemed like forever, a soft, almost inaudible gasp was heard from the bed. He looked towards her and stood up. He nearly exploded from joy as he watched her open her eyes. "Stella!" he sighed out of relief.

"Hi..." she mumbled while slowly sitting up with sleepy eyes. She looked up to see Brandon, Jay, and Musa hovering over with concern. Fresh bouquets of flowers filled the room, wishing her a speedy recovery.

"You okay?" Jay asked while gently patting her head.

Stella winced slightly. She frowned and scrunched up her face in discomfort when she saw the bandages on her head and arms. "What the heck?! Why am I a mummy all of a sudden?! And this freaking hospital stinks," Stella winced while scrunching her nose in disgust.

Musa grinned. "I guess that counts as an okay."

Jay crossed his arms angrily. "I can't believe Mitzi hurt you like that."

Stella rolled her eyes. "I don't think she meant to kill me," she mumbled.

Jay chuckled. "Well, that's what they're charging her with. Well, you take rest, okay?" he said while gently hugging her.

Musa and Jay waved goodbye as Stella sat there dumbfounded. "What he said...is it true?!" she asked in alarm.

Brandon rolled his eyes. "For someone who put you in the hospital, you sure are showing a lot of mercy."

"Is she really charged with attempted murder?!" Stella asked in disbelief.

"No, she's charged of attacking and injuring an unarmed female student on campus with a deadly weapon," Brandon scowled.

Stella scoffed. "Deadly weapon? Really?" It was freaking mirror, not a sword!

"You haven't learnt your lesson from broken mirrors yet?" Brandon narrowed his eyes sharply.

"..." Stella looked down at her lap. "I hate Mitzi, don't get me wrong, but I'm not the type to hold grudges against anyone."

"Stella, this isn't about you. And it's not that simple. While you were in dreamy land, your classmates including myself gave our statements as witnesses. You didn't even attempt to attack yet, so she has no reason to plea for self-defense either," Brandon told her while squinting his eyes into a frown.

"Is she gonna go to jail?" Stella asked softly.

Brandon sighed. "That depends on you. If you press charges, then yes. She'll go to jail. If not, well...she won't but the university will still expel her. The university doesn't need that kind of reputation. And the police will send her to an anger management type of institution since it happened on educational premises."

"...how do you know that?" Stella asked curiously.

Brandon tossed her a look to which Stella blushed in embarrassment. _Duh._ He's a cop. "Right. Sorry," she said. She slowly sat up but winced slightly.

Brandon instantly came to her side and gently pushed her body back on the bed. "Easy," he coaxed. "You're still hurt. Just sit tight. I'll be back soon." he said.

"Where are you going?" Stella asked confused.

"I'll fill in the paperwork and we'll leave. You're not exactly safe here."

Stella nodded sleepily, not really paying attention to his words. She just wanted to get out of here.

* * *

 **~ 10:20 AM ~**

Brandon led Stella inside before looking around cautiously and locking the door behind him.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said while moving to the bedroom to change into a fresh set of clothes.

He took off his shirt before throwing the blood stained clothing into the laundry basket. He washed himself clean before putting on a new one. After a while, he hopped back into the living room and saw that Stella had changed out of her bloody clothes as well.

"Want something to drink?" he asked with a smile while cruising over to the kitchen.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously while following him.

He gave her a weird look. "...Asking you if you wanted something to drink...?" he said cluelessly.

Stella laughed. "No, that's not what I meant. I mean...you should be in class now," she smirked.

Brandon huffed before his lips stretched into a smirk. "Pretty sure rule number one of a bodyguard and victim is to _not_ be in two different places at once."

Stella laughed. "Well, I have to go."

"No, you don't. You might as well take the few days of vacation the university granted you."

Stella's eyes bugged wide open. "I got a few days off?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh yeah. The rest of this week actually. Your official medical leave."

"Well, I'm proud to say that I'm gonna cash the offer in," she grinned.

"It's not safe there for you anyway," he said softly. " _CLEARLY_ ," he suddenly scowled, remembering the morning's events.

"Would you chill? I'm not dead yet."

Brandon scoffed. "I can't believe a spoilt brat is more dangerous than a serial killer," he cursed himself for not being able to protect her despite being present not less than ten feet away. He sighed. "I'm...I'm really sorry, Stella," he said dejectedly. "I...I should've been there for you. I didn't really think that she'd hit you."

Stella's eyes widened in concern when she saw him frowning almost... _sadly._ As handsome as he was, she didn't like it when he looked so apologetic. "Brandon, it's okay," she gently comforted him. He looked up at her and she appeared rattled for a moment. For a split second...he appeared almost _vulnerable,_ letting her glance into his hurt eyes.

"I'm telling you that it's okay. It's really no big deal other than a catfight getting out of control," she said sincerely while placing a palm on top of his.

"It's still my fault," he whispered almost to himself.

Stella shook her head. "No, it isn't. It was mine and Mitzi's fault. We were the ones who were ready to rip each other out. She just started it first. That's all," Stella said firmly, knowing that if Mitzi hadn't hit her first, that brat would've been the one tending to a broken jaw by now. And then, _she'd_ be the one facing those charges instead of Mitzi. And something told her that Mitzi would definitely hold a grudge.

Seeing his features soften, she couldn't help but close the space between them and hug him gently. "Don't be upset anymore," she said while breathing his scent in. Brandon stiffened instantly at the contact as his breath hitched. Slowly, he hugged her back.

"I'm fine," he told her who still resided in his embrace. He had to admit it. It felt really soothing to hug her. He gently held her against her and tenderly placed a hand around the bandage wrapped around her head. "I'm just glad you're okay now," he frowned as he looked at her.

Stella smiled as she looked up at him. The hug broke up and an awkward silence ensued. Stella felt the back of her neck heat up slightly. "So! Um...what do we do now?"

Brandon coughed slightly at the proximity before replying. "You, young lady, will rest," he ordered, sounding very much like a dictator. "Doctors said that you might get a headache once the painkillers wear off, so watch out for that."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Yes, dad."

He chuckled before leaving the room. "Rest up!" he hollered on his way out, leaving her to smile.

* * *

 **~ Los Angeles Police Station - 12:30 PM ~**

"NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! YOU CAN'T!" Mitzi squealed in protest as policemen started to grab her shouders.

"Ms. McColl, the only reason you're not behind bars for assault is because the victim has dropped her charges," the sheriff said calmly in a threatening tone. "I suggest you respect that. Along with your history of violent and disorderly conduct, you've been sentenced to one hundred days of therapy in St. Theresa Institution and two hundred hours of community service."

"WHY, THAT BITCH! IT'S HER FAULT! I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Mitzi shrieked furiously as authorities started to drag her away.

* * *

 **~ St. Theresa Institution - 1:30 PM ~**

"NOOOO!" Mitzi cried as she banged on the cell-like walls, fitting for a 'poshed' prison. "I didn't do nothing!" she screamed.

"HEY! SHUT IT, YOU LITTLE HOE!" an inmate shouted in exasperation at the little twit who's been whining like a clown since she's gotten here.

Mitzi shut up instantly with wide eyes, not expecting a rebuke. She sunk to the floor with hot tears falling down her eyes.

She looked up with rage in his teal grey eyes. _Just you wait, Stella. JUST. YOU. WAIT!_ she glared with hardening fury.

She'll get her revenge at any cost. _The second I get out of here,_ she growled before pounding a fist on the floor.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

A slender figure spied on the police cars that are slowly pulling out of the parking lot of the institution. She smirked as she slowly peeked through the bushes to note the institution's name and address before silently slipping away undetected.

* * *

 **~ Stella's and Brandon's Home - 2:00 PM ~**

Stella closed her eyes slowly as she started to doze off in a sofa in the living room. She didn't care to switch off the TV as it noisily ran in the background. Her head fell limply to a weird angle as she cradled a cushion pillow to her chest. It took her no time to fall asleep as her body fell to the side a little unevenly. The pillow in her arms slided off and tumbled to the floor with a soft thud.

"Stella, cut the volume down!" a voice shouted from the bedroom, but it was unheard by the sleeping blonde.

...

 _Silence._

 _..._

Brandon sighed in exasperation at the annoying music from the TV. Ugh. This blonde was growing to be a true menace. He hopped off his bed and marched into the living room with an unhappy growl, ready to give the blonde a piece of his mind.

"Stellaaaaaa!" he shouted while slamming his door shut for extra emphasis on the way out.

"Stella, I told you-" he stopped mid-sentence when he saw Stella sleeping on the couch, softly snoring. His anger dissipated slowly and a small smile erupted onto his lips as he traveled around the couch and crouched in front of her. The remote was loosely in her hands. Chuckling, he took it and turned off the TV before casting it aside.

He silently turned towards Stella. He held the hair that partially hid her face before tucking it back behind her ears. Chuckling lightly, he looped his arms around her slender body before standing up.

The sudden movement made the blonde stir. Brandon watched Stella open her eyes sleepily. She rubbed her eyelids before blinking at him. "What the-?!" she murmured incredulously. "NO!" she suddenly screamed, making Brandon's eyes widen in shock, but not enough to drop her.

He slowly set her down on her feet. "What the hell?" he mumbled in shock. "Stella, are you okay?" he asked in confusion. _Did I do something...?_ he thought.

Stella clutched her head and rubbed her eyes. "No. I mean, yes. Yeah, I'm fine," she murmured. "I'm gonna nap for a while," she said dejectedly.

Brandon frowned for a second when she pulled away from him. He followed her slowly to the bedroom and watched her sit on the bed a little sadly.

"Stella? Are you okay?" he asked in concern while slowly sitting next to her.

She nodded but remained deep in thought. Pursing his lips together, he gently nudged her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

She finally turned towards him. His eyes widened to see a thin layer of tears glistening in her hazel orbs. "Will I die?" she asked, truly afraid.

He blinked in shock at her question before slowly understanding what got her so spooked. She must be experiencing the aftershocks of the attack.

"Bad dream?" he guessed.

Stella's silence gave him the answer he needed.

He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, listen to me. I promise you, I'll never let anything happen to you. He has to kill me in order to get to you," he said softly.

Her eyes widened at his response. "Are you serious?! Aren't you scared?!"

" _Yes_ and _yes_. I'm scared that I'll fail but not of him," he replied firmly.

Stella looked down at her lap. "Don't say that please," she said and held up her hand when he looked like he was about to protest. "Promise me you won't do that," she asked. "I can't have that on my conscience."

Brandon frowned when she looked like she was to cry. "I can't do that," he assured her. "But I won't let _anything_ happen to you, okay?" he softly said to her.

"How can you say that? We don't know that. We don't know anything," Stella sniffled.

"We don't," Brandon agreed while patting her bandaged head. "But you're letting him win by being like this. Even if he does go to jail, you're still letting a monster like him win."

Stella stared at her lap silently.

Brandon nudged her slightly to get her attention back up again. "Stop thinking about that," he protested.

"You're right," Stella sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Nah, it's all good. Get some sleep, okay? I'll see you later," he smiled while getting off the bed. Stella watched him leave, wishing that he'll come back. She felt so protected and safe in his arms even though he only hugged her from the side.

"Hey, Brandon?" she called. "Can you talk for a sec?"

Brandon turned around curiously. "Sure...?"

"Thanks," she smiled.

He chuckled before coming back to join her on the bed once more.

"Why would you say that you have to be killed first in order for him to get to me...?" Stella asked softly. "How can you say something like that?"

Brandon remained silent before looking ahead. "It's my job, isn't it?" he answered quietly with a deep frown.

"But I don't think that's the reason you're doing this," Stella countered, not for one second believing him.

He remained silent before breathing calmly. A long silence ensued. After a while, he spoke up. "I wanted to be in the department ever since I was in high school. That's what I did. I was trained well. I was one of the best in my batch," he told her. He didn't sound like a braggart like he probably normally would. "My first assignment was to infiltrate a mafia gang and get their intel. They found out at the last minute. In exchange for the pen drive I stole from them, they held a little girl's life hostage," he quietly told her while placing his head in his hands.

Stella's eyes widened at his story. "...What happened then...?" she asked anxiously.

"I did what they asked. I gave them the flash drive. They let the girl go...with a bullet attached in the middle of her chest," he whispered while pointing to the center of his own chest.

Stella gasped when she saw a tear fall from his eyes.

"She was only seven years old. She called me 'uncle' and cried for me to free her from the 'baddies'," he told her with a light sniffle. Another long silence ensued. "...That is why I do what I do."

"It's better to die than hold someone's death on your conscience," he told her softly.

Stella's eyes watered at the deep emotion in his eyes. He looked so upset and traumatized by the experience.

"I was so mad...I threw my gun away before killing all of them with my bare hands," he sniffled while putting his head between his hands. "It's against protocol for me to tell you this, but...I don't know. We always tell the public that no innocent soul dies on our hands. But that's not true. It's because of innocent souls like that little girl that pushes us forward."

"...B-Brandon...it's not your fault," Stella told him softly with tears in her eyes. The story was extremely moving. An innocent seven-year-old being brutally murdered for no reason at all is enough to bring anyone to tears.

"Maybe. But that doesn't make it any better," he breathed. "But you don't have to worry, Stella. I swear to you on my life that I'll never let anyone hurt you," he told her while glancing into her eyes.

Her bright, hazel-yellow eyes brimmed with a teary film that he instantly dabbed his eyes to remove the moisture. "I promise you that," he assured her that while giving her a short hug. But the hug prolonged into a longer one as they sat in each other's arms.

"You're a good guy. People like you shouldn't use the word 'die' so easily," she told him. "Life is precious and you'll never get another chance at it."

Brandon listened silently at her words of strength. He patted her injured head. "Get some sleep, Stella," he told her quietly before letting her go and standing up.

Without sparing her another glance, he left the room. He didn't want her to be around him in his moment of weakness.

Stella gazed at him sadly and sent a silent prayer and condolences to the little girl's family before switching off the lights.

Meanwhile, Brandon sat in the living room, pondering over that horrific night's events. He closed his eyes, trying not to remember a certain part of the assignment.

* * *

 _The incessant crying and wailing of a frightened child made him feel helpless as he begged the burly leader to let the baby go._

 _"Please! Let her go! It's me you want!" the brunette yelled, desperate to save the young girl at any cost._

 _"Give us the drive and take this brat," the leader smirked while cocking one of his guys to retrieve the memory drive._

 _Brandon's eyes locked with the little child's before he gently coaxed her. "Sweetheart, don't cry, okay? Do you like ice-cream? Shall we go for some later?" he asked. The young girl stared at him with big green, glassy eyes before nodding with a few sniffles. "I like strawberry, Uncle."_

 _Brandon smiled at her through his own tears. "With a cherry on top," he sniffled._

 _"How cute," the leader snickered. Brandon watched as one of the guys approached him before holding out his hand. With a defeated sigh, the brunette ventured to his pocket before placing it in the center of the palm._

 _The guy went back and stood next to his leader before tossing the drive lazily back and forth between his costs._

 _"Please. I gave you what you want. Let her go," he pleaded._

 _"Sure," the leader smirked. He set the child down. She looked up at the gang leader innocently with unsure eyes. "Go on," he smirked._

 _Her eyes lit up hopefully before she turned to Brandon before her little legs started to run towards him. Brandon's eyes relaxed with relief as he bent on one knee before opening his arms, temporarily forgetting the danger he's in._

 _She ran as fast as she could. Awaiting her, Brandon missed the gun being aimed directly at the girl's back._

 _Brandon sniffled when he felt the little bundle of joy hit him. The child flung herself around Brandon in relieved tears and sniffles. "Unc-" she trailed off in a mixture of horror when she felt a sharp bolt of pain shoot through her back._

 _Brandon gasped in horror when he felt a jerk in his arms before a limping body hanging around. He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen as well but his adrenaline didn't let him see that._

 _"NOOOO!" he cried at the terror and horror on the child's face as she breathed her last in his arms._

* * *

Brandon opened his eyes slowly at the bitter pain. She was the first and only innocent soul he failed to save. After that, he hunted down each and every one of them to account for the girl's parents' immeasurable grief. He killed them all like a savage and dismissed it as 'self-defense'. It worked on paper, although no one believed it.

Some people just didn't deserve to live. They're only born to suck the good out of this world like an endless vacuum.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered into no one in particular before sitting in the living room like a rock.

Just like he always did whenever he thought about the child.

He breathed calmly. As a specialized agent, he was supposed to accept his past and forgive himself for his mistakes. But this was one mistake that he won't overlook.

He'll trade all of his achievements, success, medals, and other commendations for the life of that young child.

 _Anything. To. Get. Her. Back._

He stared dead ahead with no emotion in his unrecognizable brown pupils. He eyed the room that Stella was currently sleeping in.

He stood up before silently making his way over to her room. With a soft, inaudible click, he opened the door before halfway closing it, leaving room for him to escape later.

The room was dark with curtains drawn. The blonde slept calmly on her back, occasional soft breaths escaping from her lips. He tiptoed his way to her, just to get a view of her face for a sign of strength.

He stared down at her, her face somehow calming the storm inside of him.

 _"...You're a good guy..."_

"Do you really think so?" he whispered before seating himself on the edge of the bed.

 _"...People like you shouldn't use the word 'die' so easily..."_

Her gentle words echoed in his ears. He smiled down at her.

 _"...Life is precious..."_

"I know," he whispered in reply before pulling up the covers slightly.

 _"...You'll never get another chance at it..."_

"Such a clever girl," he chuckled humorously before gazing down at her fondly. "I don't know why I told you that. I guess...you're something special, aren't you?" he breathed.

He kept staring down at her, forgetting the obvious fact that he was a bodyguard while she was a victim.

But she didn't look like a victim. She seemed like an angel to him. Any girl would've peed in her pants but not this one. She still has time to joke and fight with other girls. He laughed softly while eyeing the bandages on her head and arm. He gently patted the area her wound resided under the white synthetic tissue before softly whispering her to get well.

"What am I doing?" he randomly asked himself but made no move to bolt out of here.

Somehow...he liked being here. Yeah...he really did.

Hey, he wasn't breaking any rules. Rule number one of being a bodyguard is to be as close to the victim as possible.

 _And...any closer than this would be highly inappropriate,_ he chuckled before continued to stare down at her with a fond, caring smile.

 _..._

* * *

 _ **Preview for the next chapter...**_

 _"Get me this Mitzi girl...we might have some use for her..." his lazy voice drawled while dripping slyly with deceit._

 _..._

 _"We have to move you. We'll send a note to your university. Until then, you are to remain within our custody," Saladin informed firmly._

 _..._

* * *

 **Anyone wants me to still update this?**

 **Lol, I've been writing like two sentences every day and** _ **finally**_ **it's complete today! :P**

 **A little disclaimer: I'm sorry if some of the things were not real? Like, I really don't know how cops and all of that work really work, so some conversations here _might_ be off. **

**Hopefully, the next one** _ **WILL**_ **be updated faster...if anyone is still interested...? o.o**


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